News

Call for a service related to the interaction with indigenous communities in the framework of a scientific project

May 12, 2017

May, 2017

Services required/Objective

Social services related to the interaction and legal nexus with custodial communities of genetic resources in the Region of Arica and Tarapaca, Chile.

Description

UC Davis Chile is looking for an individual, organization or company able to provide services related to the interaction and legal nexus with custodial and/or indigenous communities in the framework of a scientific project related to the exploration of agriculture genetic resources in the territory of Arica and Tarapaca, Chile.

Services must be provided in the agreed upon time frame and with strict compliance to local laws and international regulations such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

Qualifications/minimum requirements.

The individual or organization and/or its collaborators must have experience in:

Obtaining access and approval for sampling and perform scientific studies in agricultural environments.

Obtaining fair and equitable participation of benefits derived from scientific research with custodial communities.

Development and implementation of social methodologies aimed at the evaluation and conservation of biological diversity in the designated territory.

Development and implementation of methodologies to guarantee the sharing of benefits derived from access to genetic resources and traditional knowledge with the custodial communities of these resources.

Work on international regulations such as CBD.

Generate conditions and mechanisms to exchange information in a bidirectional way between scientific teams and the custodial communities of genetic resources.

Creating and obtaining material transfer agreements (MTAs).

Creating and obtaining prior informed consent from custodial communities for research and commercialization of agricultural genetic resources and its derivatives.

Having a network of contacts at the Chilean institutional level related to biotech industry, agriculture and biodiversity conservation.

Have a multidisciplinary team able to encompass effective communication between diverse groups, i.e. indigenous communities, scientific groups and partner institutions. It is desirable that team profiles include: agronomists (sustainable agriculture, agroecology, peasant family farming), lawyers, educators, engineers, sociologists and/or anthropologists.

Desirable qualifications

Experience in the territory of Arica and Tarapaca, including knowledge of the local indigenous culture and their traditional agricultural practices.

Proposed Project Roadmap

Phase 1: Initial Assessment in the designed territory.

Analysis of information related to custodial communities and their natural resources associated to agricultural practices. Identification requirements of national legislation, as well as the international regulatory framework for access to genetic resources. Identification of community leaders, local actors, institutional actors, and definition of their relevance to the project.

Phase 2: Diagnosis and Base Line.

To generate a social evaluation in the selected communities as a base line that allows technical feasibility and follow up and the end of the project. Identify valuable genetic resources for the project and their associated traditional agricultural practices.

Phase 3: Design and implement social intervention

To generate a work plan for social intervention in order to inform and involve the custodial communities in the project:

Generate instances of participation, and implement mechanisms to share non-monetary benefits for the access to genetic resources and their traditional knowledge.

Establish effective communication networks between stakeholders.

Obtain prior informed consents, and MTAs.

Phase 4: Assessment and Monitoring

Elaboration of the final report including social impact of the project. Develop a monitoring plan to continue assessment changes once the interventions have been completed.

Time frame of the project: 7 months starting June 2017.

Project Budget available: Maximum 25.000.000 CLP

Close Date: In order to ensure full consideration, applications must be received by May 26th 2017.